Consistently Inconsistent
Who does Ted Strickland think he's kidding? The man who has a career-long record of being consistently inconsistent on everything from casino gambling to his own candidacy thinks he can get away with accusing Ken Blackwell of flip-flopping. Strickland should know better than to throw stones from glass houses.
"I take pride in the fact that I sometimes have constituents come up to me and say it’s great to have a good liberal voice sticking up for southern Ohio, and other constituents come up to me and say, you’re exactly what we need, a good conservative Democrat. And I think they’re both right," Strickland told the Toledo Blade, which followed up with the obvious question: "Doesn’t that open you up to criticism of being wishy-washy or a flip-flopper?” (Toledo Blade, 3/26/06)
Why, yes it does. Let's review...
Strickland flip-flopped on his decision to run for governor.
He’s Out: “Strickland said he could best serve the country in Washington as part of the ‘loyal opposition’ against President Bush and a GOP-controlled Congress…” (Joe Hallett, Columbus Dispatch, 1/19/05)
Staying Put: "I've got an open mind, but, at this point, I'm planning to stay where I am," said Strickland, of Lisbon, whose 6th District includes 12 Ohio River counties.” (Joe Hallett, Columbus Dispatch, 3/20/05)
Not Changing His Mind: “On Jan. 18, Strickland announced he would not run for governor. Last week, he told The Dispatch he regretted his decision not to run but wouldn’t change his mind and was considering challenging DeWine.” (Joe Hallett & Jonathan Riskind, Columbus Dispatch, 5/6/05)
He’s In: “Six-term Democratic Rep. Ted Strickland will run for governor, though he had ruled out such a run in January, two party officials told The Associated Press on Thursday. … Strickland had said in January that he preferred to stay in Washington to work on such issues as health care, veterans needs, trade policies and Social Security. The sources gave no reason for the turnaround.” (Associated Press, 6/13/05)
Strickland even “backtracked” on his endorsements.
Backtracked…Again: “Officially announcing his Democratic candidacy for governor yesterday, Rep. Ted Strickland, of Lisbon, dropped some big names, causing confusion about whether he was being supported by Sen. Hillary Rodhman Clinton, of New York, and Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. …He did say that Clinton ‘will come to Ohio and campaign for me’ but later backtracked, saying he misspoke.” (Joe Hallett, Columbus Dispatch, 5/10/05)
Strickland flip-flopped on his term limits pledge.
FLIP: The AP reports, “Three Ohio congressmen are among 17 members of Congress running for re-election this year despite telling voters that they would leave by the end of 2004.” Rep. Strickland had “said he would only serve 10 years in the House.” (The Frontrunner, Bulletin News Network, 4/9/04)
FLOP: “Paul Jacob, executive director of U.S. Term Limits, which seeks a six-year limit on all service in Congress, commended Hollister and said her Democratic opponent, Rep. Ted Strickland of Lucasville, has declined to sign a similar pledge or even to reaffirm his 1994 pledge to serve no more than 10 years in Congress.” (James Bradshaw, Columbus Dispatch, 10/11/98)
Strickland even tried to reinvent himself after voters turned him out of office in 1994 for supporting the largest tax hike in history.
“The old Strickland voted to lift the ban on gays in the military and for President Clinton’s 1993 tax increase and budget bill. His support for Clinton’s ill-fated health-care plan greatly contributed to his own demise after Cremeans attacked him during the 1994 campaign for being open to raising taxes to pay for the plan.”
“The new Strickland voted for a ban on partial-birth abortions and for prohibitions on flag desecration and federal funding for needle exchanges.” (Jonathan Riskind, Columbus Dispatch, 5/8/98)
Strickland flip-flopped on his support of a congressional immigration bill.
Supports It: “Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), a supporter of the bill, was greeted by protesters and shouts of ‘Migration is not a crime’ in February when he opened his Ohio gubernatorial campaign office in Cleveland.”
Regrets It: “Now, he regrets his vote, campaign spokesman Jess Goode said.” (Jonathan Weisman, Washington Post, 4/12/06)
Strickland flip-flopped on his support of casino gambling.
No Opinion: “When asked his position on legalizing casino gambling, Strickland said he hasn't studied the issue thoroughly enough to have an opinion.” (David Skolnick, Youngstown Vindicator, 5/10/05)
Open to It: “At a political forum sponsored by the Associated Press on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, a Democrat from Lisbon running for governor, emerged as the only candidate there who was open to legalizing casino gaming in Ohio.” (Jon Craig, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/8/06)
Won’t Rule It Out: “If elected governor this fall, Democrat Ted Strickland said yesterday that he would not rule out casinos in Ohio… ‘I am not one of those individuals who has some moral objection to gambling as an adult activity,’ said Strickland, a former United Methodist minister. ‘I believe adults have the right to spend their entertainment dollars as they choose to do.’” (Joe Hallett & Mark Niquett, Columbus Dispatch, 1/6/06)
About-Face: “In an interview this week with Plain Dealer editors, the Lisbon congressman said it is ‘more likely than not that I am not going to be supportive’ of a proposal to allow two casinos to be built in downtown Cleveland and slot machines to be installed in all seven Ohio racetracks.” (Brent Larkin, Plain Dealer, 3/23/06)
Flip-Flop: “The Democrat from Lisbon earlier this year said he would take a wait-and-see attitude on ballot issues, but he later said he would oppose them.” (John McCarthy, Associated Press, 5/13/06)
Now it's bad policy: “State-sponsored gambling in Ohio is bad public policy, bad economic policy, bad social policy, bad policy period.” (Associated Press, 3/24/06)
Strickland flip-flopped on accepting free travel from special interest groups.
Accepted Free Trips: “Strickland, a psychologist, accepted two free gifts. The Association of International Physicians flew him to a conference in New Orleans and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees paid for his transportation to Columbus, Ohio.” (Associated Press, 6/10/94)
Refused Free Trips: “Strickland and Rep. Pat Tiberi, Republican of Columbus, are the only members from Ohio who do not take free trips, records show and their staffs confirm. ‘I think that travel is really abused by some members,’ Strickland said.” (Elizabeth Marchak, Plain Dealer, 7/14/02)
Accepted Free Trips: “Among area lawmakers, Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lisbon, traveled the farthest on someone else’s nickel. He reported a trip to Israel last November to attend a seminar sponsored by the American Jewish Committee.” (Paul M. Krawzak, Copley News Service, 6/15/05)
Strickland fails to take a consistent position on gay marriage.
FLIP: “It’s none of my damn business. I don’t favor or oppose it.” (John McCarthy, Associated Press, 7/18/04)
FLOP: “Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lisbon, opposes the [marriage] amendment and supports at least some form of gay union. ‘This is an evolving situation,’ said Strickland, who believes it is only a matter of time before gay marriage is widely recognized. ‘I absolutely believe that adults should be able to enter into legal relationships which give them the legal rights and privileges that are usually associated with the marriage relationship,’ he said." (Paul M. Krawzak, Copley News Service, 7/14/04)
Strickland is consistently inconsistent on religion and politics, criticizing religious rhetoric yet using it for his own political convenience.
Strickland: “What concerns us today is that we believe religion is being used as a political weapon to accomplish narrow political means and goals. And that is simply wrong, it is harmful and it is destructive.” (Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch, 10/15/05)
Interviewer: “But on your web site, it’s sprinkled with all kinds of references to religion and values. In fact, the first line of your bio tells us how you posted a quote from scripture on the wall in your Congressional office.” (Tim Russo, Meet the Bloggers, http://www.meetthebloggers.net/ted-strickland-transcript/)
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